Control apparatus, substrate processing apparatus, and substrate processing system

Abstract

A control apparatus is configured to control an operation of a substrate processing apparatus configured to place at least a monitor substrate therein. The control apparatus controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus based on a difference between a processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and a predictive result so as to optimize the monitor substrate loading frequency.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A control apparatus for controlling an operation of a substrate processing apparatus configured to place at least a monitor substrate therein, the control apparatus comprising:
 a control unit configured to control an operation of the substrate processing apparatus based on a difference between a processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and a predictive result so as to optimize a monitor substrate loading frequency, 
 wherein, when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result is within a first allowable range, the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such that the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a first frequency, and 
 when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result exceeds the first allowable range, the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such that the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a second frequency higher than the first frequency. 
 
     
     
       2. The control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result is within a second allowable range, the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such that the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a third frequency,
 when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result exceeds the second allowable range, and is within a third allowable range wider than the second allowable range, the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such that the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a fourth frequency higher than the third frequency, and 
 when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result exceeds the third allowable range, the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such that the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a fifth frequency higher than the fourth frequency. 
 
     
     
       3. The control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus based on a difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and a desired result so as to optimize a processing recipe of a substrate. 
     
     
       4. The control apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus so as to optimize the processing recipe when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the desired result exceeds a fourth allowable range. 
     
     
       5. A substrate processing apparatus configured to place at least a monitor substrate therein and including a control unit, wherein the control unit controls an operation of the substrate processing apparatus based on a difference between a processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and a predictive result so as to optimize a monitor substrate loading frequency,
 wherein, when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result is within a first allowable range, the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such that the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a first frequency, and 
 when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result exceeds the first allowable range, the control unit controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a second frequency higher than the first frequency. 
 
     
     
       6. A substrate processing system comprising:
 a substrate processing apparatus configured to place at least a monitor substrate therein; 
 a control apparatus configured to control an operation of the substrate processing apparatus; 
 a measuring device configured to measure a processing result of a substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus; and 
 a processing result predicting device configured to predict a processing result of a substrate to be subsequently processed, 
 wherein the substrate processing apparatus, the control apparatus, the measuring device, and the processing result predicting device are connected through a network, and 
 the control apparatus controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus based on a difference between a processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus, which is obtained using the measuring device, and a predictive result, which is obtained using the processing result predicting device, so as to optimize a monitor substrate loading frequency, 
 wherein, when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result is within a first allowable range, the control apparatus controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such that the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a first frequency, and 
 when the difference between the processing result of the monitor substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus and the predictive result exceeds the first allowable range, the control apparatus controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus such the monitor substrate loading frequency becomes a second frequency higher than the first frequency.